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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28814367">Limlendez - Let me help you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmfvids/pseuds/cmfvids'>cmfvids</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Good Doctor (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:08:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,607</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28814367</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmfvids/pseuds/cmfvids</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An au during which Melendez never died. It takes place during 4x06, the episode called "Lim". Audrey is struggling with her PTSD, and Neil is there to console her. To make it make sense with the point where the show left off, they’re not dating here.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Audrey Lim/Neil Melendez</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Limlendez - Let me help you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A/N: I tried to do Audrey's character as much justice as possible, due to the things she struggles with. I did my best, but if anyone thinks I did a really bad portrayal of her, please let me know &lt;3</p><p>Audrey was glad to finally have a moment alone. Ever since covid had started, she had barely had any quiet time. Running a hospital was never easy, but under the current circumstances it was more exhausting than she had expected beforehand. </p><p>The situation was also affecting more than she had expected. It had started with sleepless nights. Most of the time she would lay in bed until 5 a.m., staring at the ceiling, until eventually she’d get bored. During the past few weeks she usually arrived at the hospital before 7 in the morning, mainly because she had no idea what to do at home without going crazy.</p><p>That was how it started. Even though she hated to admit it, things were slowly getting worse. Audrey felt as if her life was spiraling out of control and there was nothing she could do about it. She tried desperately to keep her mind busy with work, but she noticed how difficult it was getting to focus on the once so easy spreadsheets in front of her. </p><p>And then there was the buzzing in her ears. At first she only heard it when she was stressed, but she was starting to hear it more often. Even now, while she was silently sitting in her office staring at nothing, she could hear the buzz. While she heard it, her head would fill with memory flashes. Most of the flashes were made up of dying patients and crying relatives, who didn’t get to say goodbye to their loved ones because covid policies didn’t allow them to. The amount of times she had said the words “time of death” had rapidly increased after covid had started. But she figured, everyone was affected by that. Everyone was busy, and everyone was struggling. What she was experiencing was normal. Everyone in the hospital probably felt this way.</p><p>Claire seemed to disagree. Not that it was any of her business. Claire and Audrey had developed a friendship neither of them saw coming. After Melendez had had his very near death experience, the two of them both struggled with it. Audrey wasn’t really sure how it had happened, but after a few nights of drinks and playing stupid videogames, they had actually become quite close. The only downside of their friendship was the fact that Claire and Neil were now officially dating. Audrey didn’t really care - she had more important things to worry about - but as it had turned out, Claire discussed everything with Neil. Including the things Audrey thought she had told her friend in confidence.</p><p>Today was no different. Claire had been to see her about an hour earlier. She was worried about her and had asked her if she was okay multiple times. Audrey had told her she was fine, and it seemed like the other woman accepted that answer. But, as it turned out, Claire had again told everything to Melendez. If Audrey had been in a different mindset, she would have totally understood that. The two of them were just looking out for their best friend. But right now, it only pissed her off. Claire had no right to tell these kinds of things to Melendez.</p><p>Neil entered Audrey’s office and closed the door. He sat down on the chair that stood on the other side of her desk.</p><p>“What did she tell you?” Audrey said, the frustration audible in the way she spoke.</p><p>“Not just she. It turns out that there are a lot of people in the hospital worried about you.” </p><p>Audrey rolled her eyes to herself. It was none of their business. “You would think that an adult woman is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.” </p><p>Neil recognized Audrey’s behaviour. He had seen it before in Claire when she was struggling with PTSD after the death of her mother. It wasn’t just that, though. The two of them had known each other for so long that sometimes, Neil knew Audrey better than she knew herself. She tended to mask her pain behind a smile. She always told everyone she was perfectly fine, even when she was dying inside.</p><p>“You know that’s not what this is about.”</p><p>“I’m fine.” </p><p>“No, you’re not.” </p><p>Audrey hadn’t looked up from her computer once during their entire conversation. She was hoping that by acting disinterested, Neil would eventually leave her alone. But she knew him longer than today. She fully realized that he wouldn’t. </p><p>“Audrey.” </p><p>“What?!”</p><p>“Talk to me.” </p><p>His voice was stern, and some might think that he was overstepping, but he knew exactly what his friend needed if she was struggling. She would let her guard down, eventually. As long as you weren’t afraid to get yelled at.</p><p>“Well what do you want to hear?!”</p><p>“The truth.” </p><p>Audrey finally looked up at him. She swallowed. She wasn’t a bad liar, but she was a bad liar when it came to Neil. He knew her too well. It drove her absolutely insane, but sometimes it was exactly what she needed. “I’m not sleeping.”</p><p>Neil had a small smile on his face. It wasn’t a lot, but it was a start. “And?”</p><p>“And… I guess my blood pressure is too high.”</p><p>“Is that all?”</p><p>Audrey let out a soft sigh. “My ears keep buzzing, and when they do, my head-” She stopped talking. She was absolutely exhausted, and if she would keep talking she knew she would break down. And she didn’t want to cry. Not at work, and not in front of him.</p><p>“You know there’s a reason for that, right?”</p><p>Audrey had gotten off her chair and made her way towards the door. “Yeah. It’s called stress.”</p><p>Neil stood up and grabbed her hand. Audrey teared up. She had missed his touch, even though this was small and subtle. She had missed him. She wasn’t in love with him. At least not the way she used to be. She knew that a part of her would most likely always love him, but it wasn’t big enough to ever act on it again. Still, she felt like she was violating Claire’s trust by being this close to him, even though he was only holding her hand. Despite her doubts, she let him. Mostly because she needed it. She needed him.</p><p>“It might be PTSD.” His voice broke the silence they had been standing in for a few seconds. Her back was still turned at him. </p><p>“I do not have PTSD.”</p><p>“Audrey…”</p><p>“So how do I make it stop?”</p><p>It was a sudden question. She sounded desperate. And she was. She finally turned around. Neil noticed how broken she looked. The once bright eyes he always looked into were now sad, and filled with tears. “Since you’re the expert. How do I make it stop?” It wasn’t intended as a snarky comment. It didn’t sound that way either. It was genuine. This was Audrey Lim, finally letting her guard down.</p><p>“It doesn’t work that way.” Neil replied. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let her go, but he wasn’t sure if he should. Just like Audrey, he knew that their relationship was complicated. They were just friends now, but he knew that there was still a part of him that had feelings for her. He wasn’t sure if that would ever go away. Probably not. Their love had gone too deep for that.</p><p>Neil let go of her hand and sat down on the couch. Audrey stood in the middle of her office, staring at him for a few seconds. She could walk away now. She had an opportunity. But she didn’t want to anymore. She couldn’t get herself to do so. So eventually, she walked over to the couch and sat down next to him.</p><p>“What do I do?” Audrey asked. Neil didn’t know the exact answer to that. Mostly because there was no right answer. The one thing he could tell her to do was open up and talk about it, but he realized she wasn’t there yet. So he simply shrugged and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her against his chest. He didn’t care if he was crossing a boundary, she was too important for that. She was in pain. He wanted to be there for her.</p><p>Audrey was a little hesitant at first, but she eventually laid down against his chest. Neil started running his fingers through her hair. “You take it one step at a time.” He said with a small smile. “Right now, this is enough. And when you’re ready to talk about what goes on in that beautiful brain of yours…” his eyes met her. “I’ll be right here.”</p><p>Audrey simply nodded. It wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear, but it was an answer she accepted. “Okay.” She whispered. </p><p>And so they sat there. Audrey wished that she could stay like this and never move, frozen in time in the arms of the man she cared about so deeply, maybe even loved. She wanted to savor this moment forever, but after a while she felt her exhaustion starting to take over. Her eyelids started to get heavy, and soon, they closed. Neil heard her breathing slow down and knew she had fallen asleep.</p><p>Neil could have left, but he didn’t. He would stay there forever if he had to.</p><p>That’s how much she meant to him.</p>
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